Everything recreational cannabis, pot, or weed in Portland.

October is flying by so quickly that it’s hard to believe things were so different two weeks ago. By now you’ve probably seen the good news: that the recreational sales topped 11 million. Even TIME recognized the success. In her article, Tessa Berenson gives us a bit of perspective: on the first day alone, Oregon made 3.2 million dollars. Colorado made 5 million in the first week, and it took Washington, good ol’ Washington, a month just to break 2 million. In short? Oregon is awesome. It’s up to us to show the rest of the states what this revenue will mean for the good of the communities and state as a whole.

While this is still the honeymoon phase, not even two weeks in, taxes are not to begin until January. We can bask in the glory of recreational weed for a good two and a half months before reality comes crashing down on us. But it’ll be a good reality. No one wants to pay the tax, but that’s where the biggest evidence of change will come. What we bring in from the taxes will go back into the institutions that Oregon selected as the beneficiaries of recreational weed money – the Oregon Common School Fund and the Mental Health, Alcoholism, and Drug Services Account.

Overall, sales are important to the good of this industry. It isn’t just the dispensaries that are experiencing an influx of revenue, either. While recreational marijuana speaks to where the future of the cannabis industry is going, it’ll be interesting to see the cannabis subcultures become more mainstream. For one, glassblowing and functional glass art are becoming subjects of interest for more than just the hardcore heady collectors out there. With events like the Third Eye Shoppe’s and Mary Jane’s House of Glass’ October 1st celebrations, it’s obvious that the two industries are embracing the link between them. On October 10th, Green Light District, a headshop off of Pacific Highway in SW, had its 5 year anniversary party. Attendance was through the roof, and it was apparent that while a lot of attendees had been GLD loyals, there were newcomers outside of any stereotyped stoner demographic.

For the celebration, Green Light District had beer, pizza, a photobooth, and, of course, live glassblowing. Local artists Scott Moan and Don Chile Ortega were at the torches safe from the pouring rain on Saturday night. The inside of the store was packed with people there for the raffles, giveaways, and games going on. With five amazing raffle prizes to win, like glass from the aforementioned talented Scott Moan and Portland artist Liberty503, the crowd was huge and varied. It was a lot of fun, despite my coming home empty handed. The team at Green Light District did a good job in keeping up this October momentum. Let’s hope it continues as we move on with the rest of the month and get closer and closer to recreational taxation…